Forged in Steel
by FalloutGuy1986
Summary: The origin of Kazdin Willow was not always fluffy. Her mother and father raise her as they strive to survive the Texas Commonwealth Wasteland near the ruined city of Dallas. No sex, but rated M for language...for OC!Danny mostly haha.
1. A Bright Future for a Bright Girl

FORGED IN STEEL

BY KRIS CALLAHAN

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fallout or make any money from this story. Also, the song Shipwrecked is the property of Jars of Clay. I took the liberty of changing 'he' to 'she' to fit the story.

_**She put it in a bottle and she threw it out to sea**_

_**But the tide would not surrender and it floated to the beach**_

_**So the message of apology her love would never see**_

_**She walked around that island all shipwrecked**_

_**And heavy**_

_**The scars of early childhood still showing on her skin**_

_**Necessary enemy so healing could begin**_

_**From the message of apology her heart might soon break free**_

_**For now she walks that island all shipwrecked**_

_**And ready**_

_**Though beyond horizon lines across the salty sea**_

_**A boat without a captain makes its way to some city**_

_**She prays that it will sail its course to lover or to kin**_

_**A fan of thirsty searching and finding her again**_

_**Finding her again**_

_**Finding her again.**_

_**Shipwrecked by Jars of Clay**_

**_A/N: I have to make an author's note to correct a blunder I have made here. I failed to give credit for the Roadrunners' tribe to Ghoulmask, the tribe's creator. I beat myself up pretty bad when she brought it to my attention, but she is a very gracious and understanding friend and knew without my telling her that I meant nothing bad by it, that I was only very excited that she let me borrow her concept, and that she is the very first person who ever allowed me to and I neglected to mention it, or add an Author's note at all. I was embarrassed by the situation and learned from it. Meanwhile she and I talked it out and are still best of friends. She has taught me a lot about writing and it shows with every new chapter. Also, I could honestly give her credit for the nickname Kazzy, as she was the first to use it, but that's really just splitting hairs lol. Thank you Ghoulmask for allowing me to use your Roadrunners to make my story that much better. You are a great writer. Go read Human Nature! _**

CHAPTER ONE: A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR A BRIGHT GIRL

"Wake up. Wake up dear, the sun is out and we have another day to live our lives." Her father called out softly as he shook the small girl's snoring form gently, calling her to awaken and enjoy the sunshine.

"Good morning daddy. Sleep well?" she asked groggily. She rubbed her eyes adorably before stretching hard and yawning her early morning sleep away.

"Of course. And you look like you did as well." He answered with a deep chuckle. He tickled her belly with a single digit and she giggled uncontrollably, trying to hug her father's arm tightly to stop the delightful sensations that manifested themselves in loud bouts of laughter from her small frame.

He took her small hand and led her out to the mouth of the cave that they used for their home. The journey toward the daylight showing a hundred feet away or so was always painstaking as her father reached carefully, disarming the mines that stood in between her family and whatever horrors of the wasteland decided to rear their ugly heads.

Mine after mine was deactivated as she curiously followed her protector towards the light that promised a busy day of adventuring. If she were lucky, she would be able to talk to Danny, her father's friend and a travelling caravaner. He was always chatty and spoke to her as an equal rather than as a child as every other caravaner that her father served with had done.

She supposed they had that right. She was not exactly a prodigy, but she was smart enough, smarter than most girls who shared her eight years of life. Coming into contact with the light, she brushed her shoulder length black hair from her face, simultaneously blocking her eyes from the glaring rays until she was sufficiently used to them.

Her blue eyes fixed on her mother, lovingly preparing a plate of breakfast staples onto the plate of her favorite caravan driver.

"Hey Kazzy, you awake yet?" Danny Patera asked with a crooked grin. His skin was unwashed and caked in wasteland dirt, but his face showed fondness for the eight year old girl. She smiled happily up to him and made a beeline toward him for a hug.

"Oh Kaz, you're going to get filthy. I'll have to bathe you double before too long." Her mother chastised, clucking her tongue, but she would not deny her little girl the embrace of her life long friend and her husband's favorite co-driver.

"Where you guys goin'?" Kaz asked curious about where her father would be going all day long.

"We got a long trip ahead of us, kiddo. We'll be going to Galveston." Danny said, while forking food into his mouth, a bad habit he had that always made Kazdin and her father laugh and her mother scorn.

"Close your mouth, Daniel." She said in a motherly tone.

"Whatever you say, Samantha." Danny said his mouth still full of food.

_It's like he doesn't even know he's doing it. _Samantha thought to herself, but she couldn't stop a grin at his own shit-eating smile.

"I swear your woman thinks she's my mom." Danny joked well within Samantha's hearing range, earning a well-meaning smack behind his head.

"Daddy, will you bring me a conch shell? I can use it for Barbie to live in. I think I can make a little house for her from a nice big one." Kazdin grinned triumphantly.

"You are very resourceful, sweetheart." her father said admirably.

"She's your daughter after all, Matthew." Samantha said, making a plate for her daughter.

"What does 'sourceful mean?" Kazdin asked confused by the new word.

"It means you know stuff, dear." Danny answered. Kaz beamed before she forked a forkful of Brahmin sausage into her tiny mouth.

"Wow, thank'ya." She said, her mouth stuffed with sausage still. Her mother groaned.

"Kazdin! Swallow before you speak." Samantha corrected. She turned to Danny.

"You see what you teach her?" Samantha said, clucking her tongue again, as was her custom when she was annoyed.

"Nah, she's just learning stuff right." Danny said laughing. Samantha slapped his head again, making him laugh harder.

"Come on, Sammy, you're gonna beat him up and I'll have to make this Galveston trip myself." Matthew said laughing himself.

"You won't get there unless you two overgrown children go now." Samantha said.

"Strict but fair." Matthew said finishing his Nuka Cola and taking four caravan lunches and loading up the Brahmin that he and Danny had bought together.

"Just let me say goodbye to my Sugar Bear." Matthew said. He rushed her lifting her into the air easily and throwing her high before catching her, making Kaz squeal happily before she hugged her father goodbye.

Once her feet hit earth again, Danny held his arms open and she ran to him, hugging him hard.

"Buh-bye Danny!" she hollered happily.

"I'll see you later, sport. If you're good I might even bring you a spear. We're gonna see the Roadrunners a piece." Danny said with a wicked grin.

"I'd prefer a poultice." Samantha said drily.

"Don't listen to him Kazzy, he's just a _boy_." Samantha hit the final word with as much sarcasm as she could muster in her 5'7" frame. Kazdin scrunched up her nose.

"Eww. Boys are gross, huh mommy?" Kazdin agreed with a sour look.

"That's right dear; boys aren't just gross, they're extremely poisonous." Matthew joked to his daughter. The day she started dating would be the worst nightmare of his life. Worse than the raiders that sprinkled Galveston.

"But if they were really poisonous mommy would be dead." Kazdin stated smartly, crossing her arms and closing her eyes while she schooled her father. She was too smart for his comfort.

"And that's our cue. Danny, after you." Matthew said, his face an interesting shade of red. Danny laughed well into their long journey to Galveston.

"Mommy, did I make daddy mad today?" Kazdin asked innocently as she was tucked into bed later that night by her mother.

His reaction to her intelligent response had baffled her. She took Mr. Fluffers on many adventures, making their way to the water towers to the North before heading to the creek to the south. She kept thinking about her daddy's red face and it bothered her. As usual Mr. Fluffers had no answers for her.

"He just wasn't ready for what you said." Samantha said softly, sitting on the edge of her bedsprings while she spoke softly to her daughter.

She loved her mother. She felt she had a deeper kinship with her than with her daddy. Well, she loved her daddy dearly too. She loved both of her parents and wanted to be a good girl for both of them, which was why her father's reaction had bothered her so.

But her mother always explained things well to her that her daddy would shy away from. She had asked her mother what kissing was as well as where babies came from and her mother explained everything well.

"Why not?" Kazdin asked innocently, her eyes wide with her wonderings.

"Well, you see daddies usually don't like the fact that eventually their daughters will find a wonderful man one day. It's because he loves you so much that he does not want to be replaced with another man in your life, and you're so smart that daddy had a hard time with what you said. When you are a little older you will know just why your answer had made him blush." Samantha explained calmly.

"If my smartness makes daddy sad, I would gladly make myself dumber, but I can't." Kazdin said sadly. Samantha chuckled warmly.

"Your daddy doesn't want you to be dumber. He is very, very proud of you, as am I. It's just an embarrassing subject for him. Any man really." Samantha explained.

"But why did what I said 'barass him so much? What did what I said mean to him?" Kaz pressed. She got her determination from her mother. Samantha smiled inwardly at the notion that her daughter would not let this go.

"You see, what your father meant was sexual in nature. And when you answered him so calmly, it made him uncomfortable." Samantha sighed.

"Sexual?" Kazdin repeated, more to herself than to her mother.

"Yes dear. One day when you get older you will fall in love with a boy your own age and you will start to feel feelings for him. It's hard to explain. But on that day, you must promise me that you will only fall for a man who is nice, respectful and loving to you." Samantha said sternly.

"I will." Kazdin said happily.

"Say it dear." Samantha said. Kazdin nodded.

"I promise I will only love a boy who is nice to me." She repeated like a good girl. Samantha smiled and kissed her nose, making her daughter giggle sweetly at the motherly contact.

"That man will be the luckiest man in the world." Samantha said proudly as she rose from the bed. Kazdin hugged Mr. Fluffers close and drifted into a sleep fraught with sweet dreams.


	2. To the Salty Seaside

FORGED IN STEEL

CHAPTER TWO: TO THE SALTY SEASIDE

"Two 'Guai and a Puma. Almost sounds like the start of a joke." Danny mused as he traded off firing his .50 caliber sniper rifle along with the pot shots from an ancient P90 rapid fire machine gun.

The Yao Guai moved in close and one was felled by the rapid fire burst of Matthew's weapon, but one leapt at Danny as if it knew that his weapon would not work at close range, and it chose the best target with lethal cunning, and if Danny weren't ready for the brute it would have killed the man easily.

Danny moved with surprising quickness for his six foot muscular frame. He wasn't built like a tank but he was very sturdy and quick and knew how to hold his own from his years of surviving in the wasteland.

He produced a buzzing Ripper and brought the chainsaw like blade down on the creature's neck, slicing a deep gash in the animal's flesh. It growled in rage and frustration but turned to lunge again only to stare into the barrel of Matthew's P90. A quick pull of the trigger and the beast fell down with a plaintive whine.

"Uh, hey Matt, did you forget the fucking Puma?" Danny shouted as he brought his Ripper up to defend himself.

The overgrown cat zipped toward the men's caravan and roared with intent.

The creature was quick, quicker even than the bullets fired at astonishing rate from Matthew's weapon. The men dodged the quick cat as it leapt at them and swung back around to fire once again at it. Danny sprinted toward the animal and rolled as it swiped at him, only to swing his ripper again. The chain caught the Puma across the neck and it wheezed, a guttural gurgle as it fell slowly, dying in its own pooling blood.

"Fuck a duck!" Danny shouted, breathing hard. His hands found his hips and he shouted into the air. He loved action and this trip had plenty of it.

"I appreciate your ferocity, but let's NOT attract all of the evils of the wasteland to our location." Matthew said drily. Danny laughed.

"Lighten up, Matt. We killed three of the most dangerous animals out here. I'm just thankful we haven't seen a deathclaw around yet. Those assholes piss me off." Danny muttered.

"Lord willing, we won't stumble on a nest of those things." Matthew nodded.

"Amen." Danny sighed and for once he sounded serious.

"Anyway, Galveston awaits and it's not getting any younger." Matthew said.

"So, you really believe in God huh?" Danny asked, seriously. He was a joker most of the time, a personality that he used to cope with the things around him. He liked his humor and his liquor and it kept him sane. Or sane-ish.

"I do. I know it seems very hard to believe when we live on a planet most people would call God-forsaken. I don't agree though." Matthew stated simply. He turned to his best friend.

"You know what I believe, why do you ask?" Matthew asked curiously.

"It's just like you said. Most people believe that God has forsaken us. And it's been an awfully long time. I just don't see it myself." Danny answered simply.

"I respect your opinion the way you respect mine. But I have to disagree. Man did this, destroyed the world. Why would God be responsible for something that was clearly man's fault? Why would God destroy what he created without creating a new world for us to inhabit? There are a lot of questions. It doesn't make sense to me." Matthew shrugged.

His eyes were wary looking for trouble. He knew their destination was close as he and his best friend travelled alongside the ocean toward the Bay settlement, the main hub for trading in Galveston.

"I hear ya. I can't answer that myself. I ain't about to start believin' in Atom. Misguided is a good term for them." Danny answered.

"Christians were once labeled as misguided by most of the world back when more people had a reason to believe in God." Matthew warned with a grin and a twinkle in his eye. Danny laughed and shook his head.

"Then again, most people tainted Christianity." Danny pointed out.

"Now that's about the truest thing I've heard all day." Matthew said laughing mightily.

"There she is! The beautiful Galveston Bay settlement! Third largest settlement in Texas. Women, booze, trading, a little gambling. It's been a hard two weeks and I'm looking to let off some steam." Danny cheered, pumping an arm in the air as the boardwalk came into view.

The salty ocean air was Matthew's favorite part. So different from the badlands on the outskirts of Dallas. He could stare into the crashing waves for hours and just let go. Stare at a picture of his family and just swim in his thoughts.

"I might grab a beer with you, but you can keep the women." Matthew gave a wry grin.

Danny couldn't help but guffaw.

"I think I'll do that. I don't have a wife to come home to. And you're little girl is the closest to a kid of my own that I'll ever have." Danny said. He grinned, but Matthew knew just how serious it was and how much it meant to him.

Danny had been severely irradiated long ago when he had fought a group of Super mutants trying to take over a severely irradiated location close to Austin. He and his team leant him by the Texas chapter of the Brotherhood had won the mini-war, but the radiation had left an indelible imprint on Danny's life that would never be reversed.

It left him unable to produce children. He had been let down, a severe drop in his psyche, a depression he would not will himself out of until he had met Matthew five years ago.

Matthew was proud that Danny could find a daughter-figure in his own little girl. And he knew that Kazdin loved Danny as well. He was her closest friend and Matthew subconsciously knew that should anything ever happen to him, Kazdin would be in safe hands. Danny was the only person he trusted to be a father figure to her should anything happen to himself and Samantha.

"Alright work first, party later." Matthew said. He couldn't help but smile. His friend was over eager at times. All he wished for his friend was peace. He would give of himself if Danny would only find peace.

"Yeah, yeah. I know the drill." Danny said as they approached the gate of the settlement.

"Well hey there, Danny and Matthew! How are ya?" Patrick, the gate keeper hollered with a wide grin beneath his white mustache and black cowboy hat. He wore his usual western style getup. The Brahmin business had been good to him and he had come to Galveston after selling his entire stock in over 150 farms across Texas and settled down in an expansive estate a 30 minute trip from the boardwalk.

"Better than I deserve, Pat! How is the retired life treating you?" Matthew greeted, shaking the much older man's hand hard.

"I'm bored, but the weather's heating up and it'll be time soon to go to the beach and creep the girls out." He laughed heartily and clapped Danny on the back.

"Ah, don't chase 'em away now, I gotta get at 'em too! Yer just a lecherous old man, I'm the real deal!" Danny kidded, making the big old guy laugh harder, his bass voice booming as he joked with his old friends.

"So whaddaya got for us this time?" Pat asked turning toward the Brahmin that accompanied the two men.

"Well the last time we were here was a month ago and you said your people were lacking proper ammunition and needed a good shipment of guns. And then food and a collection of ingredients for Poultices as well as an entire wardrobe's worth of new clothes for the Roadrunners Northwest a piece near Abilene." Matthew said with a grin.

Here came his favorite part, the negotiations. He couldn't count the number of times Pat tried to low ball him. It was all in competition, and after negotiations they were all three best friends again.

"Well I'll take a look at them. The rangers protect us good, but they need guns and ammo to do their jobs properly. Now, how many weapons do you have and how many rounds?" Pat asked moving to open the saddle bags and look at the weapons.

"We've got thirty rifles, mostly .44 caliber hunting rifles. Twenty .45 pistols, and ten .44 magnums. We have 500 rounds for the rifles, 600 for the pistols and 500 for the magnums. We were able to even grab a few mods from the raider base we collected these specimens from. Six scopes and two extended mags for the hunting rifles, three quick firing mechanisms for the pistols and ten scopes for the magnums." Danny rattled off the equipment available for sale to the citizens of Galveston Bay.

"Huh, and I assume these were hard won." Pat said slowly.

"You have no idea. We had to fight through at least thirty raiders to win this cache." Matthew sighed.

"Hmm. 500." Pat offered. Matthew scoffed.

"500 what? 500 sacks of caps? Don't make me laugh at your offer, big guy. 3,000 is what we're needing from you boys." Danny countered. Pat sighed loudly.

"You think we're Vegas? We're Galveston Bay, Texas; we ain't exactly rolling around in caps around here. I'll offer 1,000 now." Pat offered back.

"Pat, you're killing us, man." Matthew said with a frustrated growl evident in his voice.

"2,200. That's the best I can do. You were gonna offer us 500, you owe us quite frankly for that insulting price."

Pat sighed, rolling his neck around as he considered the offer. He stuck out his large meaty hand and Matthew grinned wide as he shook it. He nodded his head and Pat produced a check book, writing out the price agreed upon and giving him the document.

"You know the drill. Take this to the town bank and show it to 'em and you'll get your money." Pat said, ripping the piece of paper off and handing it to Matthew.

"It's been a pleasure doing business with you as always, Pat. We'll meet you in the bar." Matthew said before making a beeline toward the town bank with Danny and the Brahmin in tow.

The dingy interior of the bank looked to be as disheveled as any other building in the wasteland, but the flow of people made the place look just like home.

"Hey Matthew, Danny. Come to make a withdrawal?" A perky, cute woman with short brown hair done up in a long ponytail asked kindly.

"Yeah we did, Janie. Pat owes us 2,200." Matthew said with a grin, handing her the bill of sale.

"Wow that must've been a nice haul then. Hope you boys didn't get into any trouble acquiring these guns. Especially you, Danny." The woman said with a slight blush, she looked away from his eyes.

"Nah, I'm alright, Janie. Thank you for your concern though." Danny said, touched as a grin spread on his face from the compliment.

"You know it would be so much easier to acquire your shipments from the Gun Runners in Dallas." Janie offered, tapping a pencil against her full red lips.

"That is true, but the price to offset the cost would be too great. We both need a profit margin to get by, and I don't want to make anyone pay more than they have to so we can make ends meet. We ain't rich, but we can sleep at night." Matthew offered. Danny nodded, agreeing.

"Unlike those Crimson Caravan bastards." Danny agreed.

His disregard for the Crimson Caravan Company was deeply rooted since they were their biggest competitors and since he knew the dirty tactics that the company used in order to make the most obscene profits.

"It's kinda funny to hear you go off on them. It's like you get all animated." Janie said with a giggle.

"Well, they make obscene profits, as if they need the money. The best they could do is to lower their prices so common folk like us can live with them. But no, they need bigger freakin' ranches." Danny said, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

Janie giggled again.

"See, just like that." She said happily. Not that she was happy with his anger, far from it. She didn't like the Crimson Caravan Company any more than he did. She would gladly stand beside him in his hatred.

_Hmm, stand beside him…now that's an idea and a half. _Janie thought to herself. Her eyes took on a loving glow. She noticed him noticing her look and quickly covered.

"Anyway, hold on guys, I'll get your caps." She said as she rose from her chair. She deposited the Bill of Sale into the lockbox and went to the vault to retrieve 2,200 caps from within and before long she came back with a burlap sack full of fresh jangling caps and handed it to them. Matthew tipped his hat to Janie and walked out to deposit the earnings into his own lockbox.

"Anyway, Danny. Staying here in the Bay for a while?" Janie asked hopefully.

"For the night at least. We gotta trip to Abilene tomorrow. Gonna see some tribals about an order of theirs. Shouldn't take too long." Danny answered. Janie tried to cover a look of disappointment, but knew she had failed when he sighed.

"Janie, you wouldn't want me." Danny said softly. She drew in a breath. How did he know?

"But…why…why wouldn't I want you?" Janie stammered nervously.

"You deserve a family dear. You're young and deserve to settle down with a man who can at least give you a family." Danny answered. He looked truly sorry to deliver that news to the pretty woman before him.

"Listen, before you leave town I'll buy you a beer and we can just talk. You know I want to get to know you. But I am a grown woman, let me choose who I like. Who I wait for." Janie said gently.

"I get off in thirty minutes; if I am so easy to read then I need to get something off my chest." She said. Danny nodded.

"I think you are great. I'll enjoy just shooting the shit with you." Danny agreed. He tipped his hat to her and left the establishment. He sighed.

He decided he needed a walk and got Matthew's attention.

"I'm gonna go for a walk on the beach." Danny said.

"Want some company?" Matthew asked. Danny nodded after a moment.

"Yeah, I'll take some company. Come on." Danny agreed. Matthew tossed him a bag full of caps, his share from the Galveston Bay sale. He nodded gratefully and placed them in his pack for safe keeping. With that, two friends set off to walk the sandy beaches together.

The walk started in silence as Danny was lost in thought. Janie obviously liked him. So why didn't he just reciprocate and tell her the truth? He liked her. He thought about her a lot. He partied to cope and he enjoyed it while it lasted, but he felt like he was being used just as much as he used those women. Turn around is fair play, of course. If he would use, then he was being used. After the fact, he had trouble sleeping.

And here was a pretty woman who thought the world of him and he was too skittish to pull the trigger and tell her so.

The reasons were few and as he thought of them, the more he realized they were feeble excuses at best. Janie had been after his attention for a year and a half. Even with as handsome, strong and charismatic as he was, Danny knew that a woman like Janie would not wait forever.

The biggest reason of course was the radiation's effect on his ability to reproduce. He knew that Janie wanted a family, but he had never been brave enough to ask if she wanted children, because he knew it would either kill him in the crib or leave her with a lifetime of wanting something he could never give her.

She was young and fun, but she was approaching an age where she wanted a family. Or at least a long-term commitment. That was another thing entirely, Danny was a roamer. Was he the settling down type? Of course he could be, he wasn't so adamant about it that he would reject a top of the line woman like Janie Grace for it, and he had a caravan job so he was able to travel often to make a living, so it was really a dead issue already.

Maybe, he thought, I just don't want to settle down. But the more he thought about it, he shot that down as well. He was lonely and the thoughts he had after sleeping around and partying attested to the single thought that the 27 year old had about settling down: he just didn't want it anymore. The mantle of the bachelor was growing heavier on him day by day, lay by lay.

"Danny, You're thinking about Janie aren't you?" Matthew asked wisely. Danny did a double take.

"Yes, but how did you know?" Danny asked incredulous.

"Because it's written on both of your faces. She is in love with you and you are rejecting her in your own mind. I'd like to know why." Matthew stated calmly. Danny sighed.

"Well the obvious reason is that I can't have kids. I am sure that she will eventually want children, and that is something I can never give to her." Danny said.

"Then there's the fact that I am a lover of movement. I am a traveler, plain and simple."

"That second excuse is as dumb as you think it is. You are not a dumb person, so don't act like it. You know that you can't be a roamer for the rest of your life. So you can dash that. Settling down is not a bad thing. I never regretted it." Matthew said, staring into the endless blue ocean.

"And God knows you're jealous as hell of my little family. But here you have the opportunity to make a family of your own eventually, and you won't take it."

"I love your family." Danny said, shocked at the honesty in his voice.

"You envy me. So do something about it, Dan."

"I don't envy you. I am a travelling infertile with a bad attitude."

"You're a man in love, but a closet case about it who runs away when a wonderful girl puts interest in you."

Danny couldn't speak. Was he angry with his best friend? If he was then he was angry at the truth.

"You think you know me? You don't have the problems I have! You've never gone through the trials that I have! You have your wife and you have your daughter!" Danny yelled. Even he didn't know why he was getting so mad. Maybe because Matthew was right after all.

"You talk like my wife and I didn't go through two miscarriages." Matthew started. The pain in his voice caused Danny's fire to go out.

"I love my daughter, Danny. To deny that would be to tell the greatest of lies. But she is our miracle. I know what pain is, Dan. I love you even though you decided to yell at me. And I still know you have it in you to love Janie and give her all of yourself."

"Matthew…I am sorry for forgetting about your miscarriages. You know exactly what I am talking about."

"And I know exactly how you feel about Janie. Go to her and tell her what you feel. She will not wait forever and you will regret it if you do not go for this." Matthew stated calmly as he turned back toward the ocean.

He turned his face away from the ocean and toward his friend a couple of minutes later, only to find Danny gone. Matthew smiled as he turned back to the salty sea.


	3. A Storm Brewing in Galveston Bay

FORGED IN STEEL CHAPTER THREE: COMING HOME

The interior of the bar was dimly lit, but the cacophony within made Danny's heart rise from the mire it had hidden in for the last couple of hours. He moved toward the bar and nodded to Rebecca the bar-maid.

"Hey Danny. Rough week?" she asked sweetly as she poured a glass of his favorite beer from the long handle which connected to the tap. She swiped the foam from the top of the glass with a wooden stick and slid the full mug toward him. He accepted gratefully and took a long pull. He wiped his upper lip, the suds sticking to his short facial hair.

"How are you and Rick doing these days?" Danny asked, sitting back in his bar stool and bringing the mug with him.

"Meh, we broke up ages ago. Didn't work out. I had to dump the next guy too. Just didn't know what I liked." Rebecca said, winking at Danny. His looks and charm were not lost on the opposite sex most of the time. He really just wanted to sit back and drink though, so he ignored the quip and took another drink.

"So, you seeing anyone these days?" Rebecca asked, her voice dusky and obviously flirtatious. Still Danny didn't care.

"Nope. I'm a caravan driver. Ain't got no time to settle down." Danny said.

"So how about a one-timer?" Rebecca asked, lowering her voice so as not to be heard by any of the other rambunctious bar patrons.

"Nah, not really feeling up to it tonight." Danny declined politely, wondering why he would begin to decline the lovely blonde.

She was the talk of the town as being one of the easiest women in Galveston Bay. While that did excite a sort of primal part of his libido, his mind was full and his lusty side…just didn't want to.

"Since when is Danny Patera afraid of a little one night romance?" Rebecca asked, her tone evening. She had just been rejected for the first time and Danny could tell it did not sit well with her.

"Number one, anything one night ain't romance. And number two I ain't afraid. I just don't fuckin' feel like it. Do your job and keep my glass filled." Danny finally leveled his tone at her and narrowed his eyes. He drank his beer down and handed her the glass. She huffed and took the glass from him.

"Fine, I'll get that for you sir." Rebecca said angrily. She said the word 'sir' with anger but Danny said no and meant it.

_No means no, slut. _Danny chastised her mentally.

Rebecca came back with a full to the brim mug of cold beer, but in her anger she sloppily slammed it on the table and most of the contents splashed out onto Danny's shirt and jeans. He stood up straight and looked down at his wet clothes before looking back to Rebecca angrily.

"Okay, do we have a fucking male barkeep who won't splash me with my beer because I refused to fuck him?!" Danny said angrily. He stood up and grabbed a handful of napkins and dabbed at his shirt and jeans.

"What the fuck is this? Rude and sloppy waitress night or something? Dammit, I am a paying customer and I demand some fucking respect." Danny said angrily, slamming the fistful of ruined napkins upon the mahogany bar top. Rebecca jumped, looking chagrined.

"I'm sorry, Danny. It was an accident." Rebecca said softly, cheeks reddening.

"You know damn well that wasn't an accident. Do it again and I'll see you fired." Danny said, sitting back down.

"Chatting up the ladies I see." A female voice called from behind him. He rose, embracing his long time friend.

"Janie McDowell…A sight for sore eyes to any man." Danny said grinning as he backed away from the hug. He slid his hands down to grasp her forearms gently as he leaned back and took her in.

She cleaned up well from her work attire of a white blouse and black miniskirt. Her wavy, long brown hair was out of its usual ponytail and cascaded lovingly over her shoulder. She wore a short blue dress that matched her eyes that was low-cut in front, showing off a pretty good amount of cleavage. Spaghetti straps held the garment up and she wore a pair of mid heel shoes that matched her translucent black stockings.

She was a bombshell and Danny couldn't help but stare quietly for some time. Janie giggled.

"I'm glad you approve, but I'm up here." Janie said with a laugh. Danny snapped his eyes back to hers and grinned, embarrassed.

"Do you usually dress up for an after work drink." Danny asked.

"Only for Danny Patera." She replied, taking a seat before Danny took his. She ordered a martini and was delighted to start the night chatting away with her crush.

Matthew Willow was walking back into the Galveston Bay settlement content with being lost in his thoughts, but he was soon shaken away from them by a group of four men who looked to be gesturing toward the other side of the massive barrier that separated Galveston Bay from the rest of the wasteland. He made his way nonchalantly back into the gate and as soon as he was out of sight he ran toward the saloon to report his findings.

Danny was sitting hunched over a table in the corner speaking animatedly with Janie and she was listening intently to whatever story he had been telling. She had a grin on her lovely red lips and she would laugh now and again to an apparently funny part.

"...So then I tell her, THAT'S NOT MY REPAIRMAN!" Danny finished with a flourish, his hands in the air while Janie lost herself in her laughter, pounding a hand on the table top.

"True story." Danny said with a wide grin as he sat back and inhaled the rest of his third beer.

"So, Danny. About that thing I wanted to talk to you about..." Janie started shyly, but was interrupted by Matthew walking up to them. He apologized to Janie who nodded.

"We have some rough-looking characters. Let's get Javik and go clear them out." Matthew reported. Danny nodded and stood. Janie stood a moment after.

"Are we in danger?" she asked concerned, a hand to her heart.

"Not right this second, no, but if they got bad intentions we're gonna need the Rangers' help. I saw four of them but they were signaling their friends, so I don't know how many there are. Lets go." Matthew said hurriedly.

Danny stood up and told Janie that she should take Rebecca and the other women who didn't choose to fight to the vault and hole up tight until one of them came along.

Janie nodded. She didn't know her way around guns and other weapons so she would simply take the other women and children who weren't defending the town and take care of them. She took Rebecca's hand and shouted to all in her radius.

"Guys, the town may be under attack. If you cannot or choose not to fight, then please come with me to the town vault." She announced. Several women and even a couple of men followed her while four rough-looking cowgirls chose to stay and fight. They drew their weapons and followed Matthew and Danny to the town gate.

**A/N: And that's where I must stop for the day, as I am out of time. We're about to get ourselves into a little Texas town brawl. This is where I will introduce the Ragamuffin raiders, a term I came up with in one of my many RP's with that one chick I'm always mentioning, Ghoulmask. I will introduce to you the main villain as well within this little terrorist cell and I might give some background information on him, maybe not depending on time constraints. Please review as it helps me understand just what people are thinking about these new stories. And thanks to Ghoulmask again for all her faithful reviews.**


	4. Ragamuffins

FORGED IN STEEL

CHAPTER FOUR: RAGAMUFFINS

**A/N: This chapter is the one I MEANT to post up, not the error ridden abortion of good story telling that I accidentally put up. This chapter has been edited heavily for both spelling errors and….comfort. **

**My writing style has always been Uber descriptive, as all good writers are. However there are moments where less is more, and there are moments when in good taste I should include less description. There is a scene in this chapter that gets pretty dark for our little Kazdin. I am pleased with this chapter as a whole, but I got a little bit too descriptive in the dark scene. You'll know it when you see it. My ever present mentor and good friend Ghoulmask pointed this out to me and I edited it to be less descriptive. Which turns out to be a good thing when it comes to taste. **

**Now without further ado, this is the edited version of chapter four, where we introduce you to the main antagonists in Kazdin's life as well as a little teaser to the leader of the Ragamuffin gang. Enjoy.**

**Oh, and PS, I am trying out a new line break. Fanfic won't let me use a simple line or series of dashes. Ill type them in and they will literally disappear. So from now on wherever you see a series of upper-cased B's, that is my line break. I am being forced to be creative and I hate it lol.**

The showdown was set. The honest people of Galveston Bay were prepared. Some were hiding out in the bank vault and still others were fighting to defend the town. Patrick stood behind a hastily built sandbag wall. The six Rangers stood in a semi circle with Danny and Matthew in tow, each aiming their weapon toward the gate, eyes open for unfriendly specks on the horizon.

"Know what they're stallin' for?" Matthew asked Danny quietly. Danny shrugged in response but thought better of it.

"Probably trying to take us by surprise." Danny answered. He gripped his .50 caliber sniper rifle harder, wariness making him uneasy. Even stoic Matthew was shifting as he gripped his P90 machine gun, pointing the barrel down range.

Suddenly a volley of rapid fire bullets came screaming toward the Rangers' position along with a loud battle cry and the approaching forms of twelve men and women, all clothed in the rags of the raiders.

They were better dressed than most other raiders, their clothes not resembling barely-there threads, but rather covering most of their bodies. They carried themselves with a sense of mismatching pride, sort of like the rich kid made to wear the garments of the more well-to-do homeless man; still smug and arrogant on the inside, wearing cobbled together duds on the outside.

Their charge meant the firing of the guard, as well as the citizenry who had enough skill for the fight. The four cowgirls were holding their own rather nicely firing their various pistols at the approaching army.

The vast echoes of magnums, cowboy repeaters, hunting rifles and assault rifles all melded to create the cacophony of war. Bullets flew and both raiders and Rangers fell. Two citizens dropped to the dirty ground, dead before they felt the gravel upon their skin. Still more fired and dropped raiders here and there, some shots missing and others grazing while a few of the Galveston militia's bullets dealt deadly damage killing others.

There remained only six of the twelve raiders when they retreated back into the wastes, causing a victory cry from the mob defending the town. Danny cupped his hands around his mouth and cried out a high pitch sound.

"Whiskey for my men, beer for my Brahmin!" Danny cried and others took up the chant. However, Matthew was stonily silent, his lips pressed together and a sigh slowly escaped through his nostrils.

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The bar was rowdy following the successful battle in the streets, with various revelers and townsfolk lifting glasses and drinking them down. Danny hopped up on the bar, earning a cheer from the collective townspeople.

"Hey, hey, listen up folks!" Danny shouted. He put his fingers in his mouth and blew out a harshly loud whistle and the people quieted and turned to the man atop the bar.

"This man," Danny cried out raising his beer mug into the air and indicating Matthew who stood beside the bar, a bemused grin upon his face as he stared up at his best friend.

"Is the reason we are all safe and sound tonight! Make no mistake; we will mourn the loss of friends, family later! But thanks to Matthew Willow, we are alive to grieve our loved ones! Let's give a big ol' Texan cheer to Matthew!"

On Danny's count of three, the entire place erupted in whistles and cheers and clapping, all directed at Danny.

"Hey, Matt, talk to us. Say something! The whole town is thankful for you and your quick thinking!" Danny shouted as he jumped off the bar and grabbed Janie's hand and playfully spun her around.

"Thank you. I simply did what any person would do who is proud of their favorite towns. You are all friends and it was my pleasure. Not to bring the mood down, but to all of you who have eyes, you need to watch the horizon. I don't believe that this will be the last attack from these bandits, and we may not be here to help you next time." Matthew warned.

"Don't you all worry now; if those bastards come back I know all of y'all will show them a little Galveston Bay type justice!" Danny shouted, thrusting his mug back in the air, earning a hearty hurrah from the gathered townspeople.

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Back in the Dallas badlands was a happy day for Kazdin Willow. She was travelling with her mother to the city to buy supplies. Kaz loved these shopping trips because as an inquisitive 8 year old these trips to the city offered her a chance to speak and visit with the many different people who lived in Dallas.

She especially loved the super mutants who called the city their home. They always looked as if they were studying her, were curious about her. However they were always friendly to the point of even playing games with the little girl.

Many of the people in Dallas wanted nothing to do with the Mutants or the ghouls that populated the area, but the little girl was always sweet and kind to them. She loved bringing them presents that she built or drew. Sometimes when she had some extra candy she would share it with the giant creatures. They would smile and speak with her or play games with her. The sight was always so adorable as Samantha watched her little girl run around squealing with laughter and being chased playfully by the huge mutants. It was even more adorable when the Mutants were "it" and they deliberately slowed their pace so that she could easily catch them and slap their thigh, which was where her black haired head reached.

Samantha loved watching Kaz play with creatures that were different from her. She was so innocent in her love of anything and anybody even if they looked different. Just what she and Matthew had taught their little girl, that everybody is worth getting to know and had an interesting story to tell. And Kaz could sit and listen for hours to the tales the Mutants, ghouls and even the occasional human would tell her.

Kazdin was bubbly and excited as they neared the ruins of outer Dallas, the area in which they did all of their shopping and cavorting.

"Now Kazzy, listen to me. You may not go find James, Jarron or Kerry until after we are done shopping, okay?" Samantha warned, speaking of her two Mutant and single ghoul friends respectively.

While Kazdin loved all of the ghouls and Super Mutants, James, Jarron and Kerry were her favorite people ever. She loved them nearly as much as she loved Danny.

"Okay, Mommy." She said. She had a sigh in her voice as she would be kept waiting until everything was bought. That would be at least another hour before she could find her friends. But on the positive side, she would be able to buy some candy for each of them. Gum drops for James, Fancy Lads for Jarron and Bubblegum for Kerry.

Kazdin busied herself by humming along to some of her favorite tunes in her mind. She knew all the lyrics by heart and would sometimes sing them aloud while her mother shopped, bringing a smile to her lips.

By the time the groceries were bought and Kazdin had pocketed her gift candy it had been an hour and a half, which translated into practically a lifetime in child years. But before long she was bouncing in excitement again as her mother took her hand and led her down the streets toward the massive park where the Mutants, ghouls and various humans liked to hang out.

It didn't take Kazdin long to spot her friends. There were not that many people milling about the park and the two giants stood out like a sore thumb in the middle of the sunny landscape. She called out to them raising her little arm high and waving enthusiastically. The trio waved to her and Jarron squatted down, a real feat with his over 300 pound frame and opened his arms. He laughed a slow and mighty laugh, his deep gravelly voice ringing out as he wrapped his arms gently around the child. Samantha had to suppress a giggle at the sight of her small child's body completely blocked from view by the Mutant's massive arms.

"Hi guys! I got you a present!" she said happily. She opened the brown bag the cashier had given her and gave each humanoid their favored treat.

"Me thank you Kazzy. You are nice person." Jarron said nicely, using his massive thumb to rub the kid's hair, making her laugh.

"Well you've been awfully nice to my little girl all these years, Jarron. You too James and Kerry." Samantha said while Kaz chatted up her favorite ghoul, Kerry.

"We like Kazzy. Such a sweet girl. I sure you have something to do with that." James said with the Super Mutant equivalent of a smile. Samantha laughed.

"I'm sure we do James. But she's a sweetie even without us. It's just natural." Samantha cooed over Kaz as she watched her play a hand slapping game with Kerry.

"I not know…natural." The big Mutant said, scratching his head. Samantha smiled.

"It means she has those things already. She was born with them." She elaborated.

"Yes, she has good things naturally." James said.

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The hooded stranger came into town at night. Nobody knew him or saw him. Everyone who looked twice would say he looked suspicious, so it was an advantage for him that nobody in fact did look twice. He moseyed up to the nearest alley and moved along the way before planting a bundle of C4 to the side of the wall where it would not be easily seen. He left the alleyway just as quickly as he entered.

Across the way from the hotel stood two men, one large and muscular and one a medium size and healthy looking. They were loading up a pack Brahmin in preparation to leave the town and make their merry way towards, whatever settlement they were travelling to.

One of the men was speaking with a woman with long dark hair and they were having a very intimate conversation by the looks of it. With his very sensitive ears he was able to pick up whispers of their conversation on the wind. Something about a promise to come back and stay with her a couple of days on the way back. To get to know one another better. It was a conversation the stranger could care less about.

The cloaked and hooded man left the opposite way from their position.

"I know, a long day indeed. I'm just glad we are still standing and able to talk about it." Danny said, a sigh of relief escaping his lungs.

"I know. And as for what I spoke to you about earlier, I just want you to know that I'm not trying to pressure you or change you. I have just felt that way for so long now and I had to tell you." Janie said. A slight blush spread across her cheeks as she looked away.

_She is so cute when she does that. _Danny thought. The very thought made him smile. She smiled when he did.

"What?" she quipped with a gentle giggle. She twirled her dark wavy hair with her fingers and smiled up at him.

"Nothing. I really didn't know you felt so strongly about me. But I promise I will make it up to you for lost time. I know we'll be having a few days of shore leave so to speak after this Roadrunner trip. I'll stay with you for a couple of days. We can really just set aside some real time to chat and catch up, if nothing else." Danny said. She giggled and flushed but remained resolute.

"I'm a good girl. Not till marriage." She stated firmly. Danny blushed this time and it made her smile that apparently he did feel something for her.

"No, not that…I mean, I wasn't talking about that. I was just saying that…" Danny sputtered, embarrassed.

"Relax, I was kidding." She said with a laugh, "I know you weren't talking about that."

"Oh, well good. I know you're a respectable woman. You deserve a family." Danny said. Before he could cloud over he shook his head and smiled at the woman.

"We can talk about that maybe some other time. I'd rather have our little two day visit be a happy time." Danny said.

Janie wondered what he was so secretive about, but decided that if he was so reluctant to talk about it, that it must have been something traumatic and that it would be best to leave that discussion for another day. That was fine with her; she just wanted to be with Danny.

"I'll look forward to it, Danny." Janie said. Her light voice had a genuine smile behind it.

"I will too." Danny said with his own smile. The two shared a meaningful glance before Danny grabbed the Brahmin's lead rope and walked away into the moonlight, coolly not looking back. That gesture made him seem like a genuine cowboy, all respectful, calm, cool and collected. The very thought made Janie place her hands above her heart and sigh with love in her sparkling eyes while he walked away into the wasteland.

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Samantha trusted the Mutants. She trusted the ghoul. This was why as she figured out that she had left some important items at the general store in the city Kazdin had begged to stay with her favorite trio and Samantha relented. She gave the mutants strict orders to watch out for Kazdin.

"You no worry. We love Kazzy. We take care of Kazzy." James assured her. She smiled and thanked them before kissing and hugging her child goodbye. She would be gone for just over an hour.

Kazdin and the Mutants were playing their various games, Kazdin's favorite being where the Mutants would hoist her in the air with their incredible strength and let her leave their hands before catching her safely. She enjoyed the feeling. She felt she was flying every time her feet left the earth and she was tossed eight feet into the air. She was a brave girl and she had no fear.

However Kazdin grew bored of even her favorite, but she always had a backup. As the sun faded in the sky she said she wanted to play hide and seek.

"Kazzy, we shouldn't play hide and seek. You need to stay where we can see you easy." Jarron said cautiously. She never heard him though as she ran off to hide behind the bushes.

She started when she noticed there was already a man sitting there in the bushes.

"Well hello, sweet little girl. I was watching you. What is your name?" the man asked softly. He had a gentle smile on his face and he seemed friendly enough to the good natured girl. She smiled innocently.

"I'm Kazdin. Kazdin Willow. What's your name?" She inquired sweetly. The man licked his lips.

"Just call me Larry." He replied in a huskier voice. He seemed to be acting funny, but he also seemed to be very nice.

A FEW MINUTES LATER…

Before long, Kazdin's loud screaming alerted the duo of super mutants to Kazdin's location. They had been looking for her, frantic about where she had gone to hiding. Now that they knew where she was, they started to run, the earth thudding beneath their massive feet the way their hearts thudded with their intense worry.

They found her in the bushes with the dirty man holding his hand over her mouth as she cried, red faced and frantic.

With a primal rage Jarron and James leapt into action. Jarron roared at the odd man and he ran, tears of fear streaming down his face. He was much slower than the mutants however and they easily caught him, lifting him into the air by his arms. They were not, however, playing any kind of childhood games with him.

As the man cried out in intense pain and agony, Jarron took one arm and leg into his hands while James gripped his other appendages. They then performed in essence a wishbone effect. As they pulled in opposite directions, his arms and legs were ripped from their sockets and before long, the perverted man was ripped apart down the middle. The Mutants discarded the severed man like so much garbage directly into an empty dumpster.

When the duo of Mutants reappeared before Kazdin, she was red faced and sobbing.

Jarron opened his arms for her, pity on his face. She slowly crept toward his hands. He picked her easily up off the ground and sat her on his shoulder. He carried her back to the park where they once were.

"Jar, Jarron…I'm sorry I ran away. I'm so sorry, James." Kazdin cried, her tears soaking her ruined shirt.

Jarron carefully took her from his shoulder and held her gently in his hands up to his massive face.

"What happened, was not your fault Kazzy. That man sick. That man mean. You have nothing to do with that. Not Kazzy's fault." Jarron said softly.

"Not Kazzy's fault." James agreed. He gently touched the sobbing girl's back.

"We find your mommy now. She back any minute." James said in just above a whisper. Kazdin nodded her head still softly crying.

"Thank you." Kazdin said weakly.

"You our Kazzy. We protect our Kazzy." Jarron said with his Mutant grin. She smiled back.

"You're…my Jarron and my James. I love you." She managed a smile as she said this.

"We love you too, Kazzy." The two mutants said in unison.

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The travel back into the outskirts of Dallas was filled with quiet reflection from both woman and child. Samantha's return to the park had been met with three sad looks rather than the joyous greeting Samantha had been expecting.

James occupied Kazdin while Jarron explained to Samantha what had happened. The laughter in the background was a stark contrast to the earth-shattering heartbreak within Samantha.

"I sorry Sammi. Kazzy hid and she is small…so hard to see in dark." Jarron said, hiding his face in shame and regret.

Samantha looked up at the ten foot tall mutant and let out a shaky breath.

"Don't blame yourself, Jarron. Did you find the man who did this?" she asked quietly, staring at Kazdin playing with James further off in the park.

The giant hesitated only for a moment before letting out an audible breath.

"Yes." was his one word answer. Knowing her feelings toward violence, he did not elaborate. Samantha nodded her head.

"Good." She said her voice stony. Her cold answer surprised Jarron, he had never seen her delight in death, but she looked as if she had to fight a sigh of relief.

"There is a special place in hell for a man who would ruin a child's precious innocence."

Jarron simply nodded.

The time had passed quickly and eventually Kazdin said a tearful goodbye to her friends and now, about fifteen minutes from home, both mother and child were eerily silent, a fact that bothered Samantha to no end.

Normally Kaz would be running around and prattling on to her mother about her day, but here she was, walking beside her and remaining unnervingly quiet.

"Mommy, I'm sorry I ran off. I hope you're not mad at me." Kazdin spoke finally, so quiet her mother could barely hear her, however she understood every painful word.

That was it. Samantha's tears would hold themselves no longer. She knelt to Kazdin's level.

"Mommy, don't cry. I'm sorry. I'll never do it again, I promise." Kazdin said, crying herself now.

"Kazdin," her mother said, fighting to be understood.

"Yes Mommy?" Kaz asked, staring at her mother with blue, teary eyes.

"What happened tonight was NOT your fault. Do you hear me? That was NOT your fault. That man was bad and wanted to do bad things to you. It was all him, not you. Do you understand me?" Samantha said through her tears. Kazdin nodded and mumbled a yes.

"Good. And I am not angry with you. Mommy is sad because you could have been hurt today."

"But I'm okay. Please don't cry anymore Mommy. Please don't cry." She begged. Samantha hugged her daughter tightly and fought for composure and control over her own tears for her daughter's sake.

"The world has bad people in it, huh Mommy?" Kazdin inquired. Her words were so grown up…too grown up for her immature body. Samantha's heart broke for her daughter's innocence, which had been tested that night.

"The world does have bad people in it, but please don't fail to see the good people too. Like James, Jarron and Kerry." Samantha taught gently, pulling away to look into those bright blue eyes she adored so much.

"They helped me with the bad guy." Kazdin murmured.

"Yes, they did honey. Thank God for them." Samantha said softly.

"You must promise me Kazdin that you will always say no to strangers who wish to take you someplace – or who wish to make you do something you know is wrong or that you don't want to do." Samantha said firmly.

"I promise." Kazdin smiled. She was happy her mother had stopped crying.

"Okay. You are such a good girl. I love you so much Kazdin." Samantha said in a whisper before kissing Kazdin's cheek and hugging her.

With that mother and daughter left for home with broken hearts and wounded minds, all of which would heal in their own time.


End file.
